Maternity and sexuality of african women living with HIV in France : predjudices and experiences

Abstract

Based on qualitative research in hospital and associative settings with women from subsaharian Africa living with HIV/AIDS in France, this article shows how the discours and the attitudes of health and social service professionals are guided by culturalist and racist stereotypes about a presumed necessary meternity and submissive exuality of African women. These stereotypes structure their insertion on the job market, their access to citizenship and and their place in the community and they influence their way of experienceing sexuality. The confinement of black women and immigrants to the devalorized sectors of domestic work and prostitution contributes to the reproduction of culturalist and racist stereotypes about their sexuality and maternity which are perceived and construed as deviant from dominant references.